Solar car sparks enthusiasm for science in local schools

SOQUEL -- Soquel High School sports fans may have gotten more than they expected when they attended the school's games on Saturday.

Students and families were greeted by the UC Berkeley CalSol Solar Car Team and their recently completed solar car, which looked like a cross between the Batmobile and a hovering spacecraft. In recognition of Santa Cruz County's College Awareness Month and Earth Week, the team was brought to Soquel High School to spark interest in science and engineering.

The CalSol Team shared statistics about the car with curious students that came to check out the sleek creation at the event organized by StarChild Science, a science education company in the Monterey Bay Area.

"I created this event because I wanted the students who got into the door they desperately wanted to open when they were in high school to speak to students who are preparing to go to college," science educator and StarChild Science founder Judy Wilken said. "Soquel High School is the only school in the district to have solar panels installed on campus, so we thought this would be a perfect place to begin."

The team of 10 engineering students eagerly shared their enthusiasm for the project with curious students who have been considering entering the engineering field.

Ed Divita, team senior advisor and fourth-year civil engineering major, said the thing he liked most is that he gets to apply what he learns in class to a hands on project.

"This is the kind of club I wish I had when I was in high school," Divita said. "Sometimes when students are sitting in their physics class it's hard to imagine how you can apply what you're learning to the real world. This let's us go out and build in the real world."

First-year Cal student and mechanical engineering major Nupur Dokras said it was important to reassure students who are having their doubts entering a science or engineering field by highlighting the fun projects they occasionally get to pick up.

"A lot of kids are nervous entering into a major that is considered hard by a lot of people," Dokras said. "We still get to have fun though and although learning it all can get stressful projects like this definitely make all the hard work worth it."

During the past month, the solar car has visited a host of county schools including Mountain School, Pacific Collegiate School and Natural Bridges High School.

The students will take their solar car to the Formula Sun Grand Prix Solar Car Race in Cresson, Texas, on June 1.